Every team has played a game in this oversized World Cup filled with big surprises.The stakes rise quickly as the 48 teams begin playing their second group-stage matches.Cape Verde, Qatar and Congo have earned...
Every team has played a game in this oversized World Cup filled with big surprises.
The stakes rise quickly as the 48 teams begin playing their second group-stage matches.
Cape Verde, Qatar and Congo have earned points for the first time in the World Cup, raising hope for an improbable run to the knockout round.
Spain, Portugal and Brazil, among the pre-tournament favorites to win it all, need wins to keep up in their groups after opening with draws. Belgium, the Netherlands, Croatia and Switzerland are in the same boat.
On Thursday, hosts Mexico and Canada, along with Switzerland and South Korea, will be among the teams playing for a second time.
What to watch on June 17
— Czech Republic vs. South Africa, noon EDT in Atlanta (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
— Switzerland vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3 p.m. EDT in Inglewood, California (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
— Canada vs. Qatar, 6 p.m. EDT in Vancouver, British Columbia (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)
— Mexico vs. South Korea, 9 p.m. EDT in Guadalajara, Mexico (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
Mexico faces South Korea for control of Group A
Mexico will look to take control of Group A against South Korea following a thrilling start as World Cup host.
Four years after a major disappointment in Qatar, the Mexicans roared out of the gate with a 2-0 win over South Africa. The dominant victory thrilled a capacity crowd of 80,824 at famed Azteca Stadium and drew 7.1 million viewers in the United States, making it the most-watched opening match for an English-language broadcast.
The next match may be a little tougher.
South Korea opened its 12th World Cup appearance by scoring twice in the second half for a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic.
While Mexico will have to travel 600 miles from Mexico City for its second match, South Korea remained in Guadalajara following its opener.
Mexico also will be without defender Cesar Montes, who received one of three red cards in the match against South Africa.
Short-handed South Africa
South Africa will be short-handed for its Group A match against the Czech Republic in Atlanta.
Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane both received red cards against Mexico, which carries an automatic one-game suspension.
Zwane’s suspension was increased to thee games by FIFA on Wednesday, deeming his contact to the face of Mexico’s Roberto Alvarado to be serious foul play. South Africa is appealing FIFA’s decision.
Canada and Qatar aiming for first World Cup win
Canada and Qatar made history in their openers, scoring late goals to earn their first World Cup points. The teams meet on Thursday looking for their first win.
Qatar had a forgettable run in the 2022 World Cup, scoring a single goal while becoming the first host country to lose all three of its matches. The Qataris opened this year’s tournament with a shocker, scoring in stoppage time to pull out a 1-1 draw against Group B favorite Switzerland.
Canada followed a rousing opening ceremony with a slow start against Bosnia-Herzegovina Friday in Toronto. Substitute Cyle Larin turned disappointment into celebration, scoring in the 78th minute to secure a 1-1 draw.
It marked Canada’s first World Cup point after it scored one goal while losing all six games in 1976 in Mexico and four years ago in Qatar.
Canada’s bid for a first win could be hampered by captain Alphonso Davies’ nagging hamstring injury. He didn’t play against Bosnia and has been limited in training from an injury suffered while playing for Bayern Munich on May 6.
Switzerland looking to regroup
Switzerland is trying to bounce back from the shocking tie against 56th-ranked Qatar that created a four-way tie in Group B.
The next chance for the Swiss comes against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which had the opposite reaction to opening with a draw.
At No. 64 in the world, the Bosnians are the lowest-ranked team in the group, yet pulled out a draw against the host country. That came after Bosnia stunned Italy in the final of the European playoffs.
More World Cup news
— Christian Pulisic still training separately, increasing concern for the US at the World Cup
— Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal held to a 1-1 draw by Congo at the World Cup
— Cape Verde star goalkeeper Vozinha’s mother gets visa to attend next World Cup match
— FIFA hydration breaks spark backlash and blamed for killing momentum at World Cup
— Iran and Egypt will meet, uncomfortably, in Seattle’s World Cup ‘Pride Match’
— Turkish state broadcaster drops veteran World Cup commentator over Iran-New Zealand mix-up
Stats of the day
Harry Kane’s two goals against Croatia gives him 10 in his World Cup career, matching Gary Lineker’s England record and five others for seventh all-time. The others with 10: Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta, Peru’s Teófilo Cubillas, Poland’s Grzegorz Lato and Germans Thomas Müller and Helmut Rahn.
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